BioShock Infinite: The Next Lighthouse
by Time Locked Maniac
Summary: A short AU compilation of what could have happened after the events of Infinite and before Burial At Sea. Written on Fanfic Amino using some of the challenges and prompts. Image done by Nillabasco on League Amino.
1. At First Light

He would be lonely. That he knew.

Even if companionship was common, even if they who claim to befriend him, love him, hate him, they would leave eventually.

He didn't chase them away, nor did they die.

They merely left him because they found something else worthy of their time. Of their lives.

He likened himself to a lighthouse, always there, always helping people find their way in life, but oh so lonely. Once sailors found their way, found their next destination, they left. Like Calypso, except he had never fallen in love and he wasn't alone, only lonely.

So when that... impossible girl came along, he was surprised that she stayed with him.

They usually left after a few months, when they found their significant other, when life split them apart or when they simply grew tired of him. But not her.

Unlike the continuous companionship followed by the inevitable loneliness he experienced, she came randomly, when he least expects her. But her presence was comforting, as she always came back.

Is this what it feels like to have a true friend? One who would listen to him, instead of him listening to them. One who would help him instead of him helping them?

She was like any other he had helped. She was lost, blind to the path of life and considered suicide. She had lost her father and her only friend. She was betrayed, and forced to betray.

While her scenario that was dealt to her was... questionable, he did what he did best. He befriended her, he comforted her, he helped her raise her own beaten, battered self and revitalise it with motivation. She had left a day after he finally persuaded her to live her life to the best to her ability.

He said that, but he was silently hoping that she'll stay with him, that she'll remember him and come back one day. But he thought that, like all he had helped, she would forget him. Eventually. Completely.

Two days later, she returned with tales about her new life. It wasn't that surprising, for they would always return after a few days before they stopped coming to him all together. After regaling her tale, he expected her to tell another one or leave. Like all others.

Instead, she asked him how was his life.

It came as a shock.

Someone cared about him enough to ask him about his life.

He felt out of place. He had never experienced such a feeling of... fullness and elation before. Or maybe he did, but it had been too long for him to remember. Was this what they called happiness? Joy?

So he told her his life story, how people around him seem to leave him after a period of time and never contacted him. Even those he met on a daily basis could ignore him when they were beside the other.

She seemed to understand, and listened to him raptly, and had at one point placed her hand over his to comfort him when he broke down crying after realising just how empty he felt before.

But, she had to leave. They always did.

The next day, he cried even harder, feeling that she wouldn't come. His first true friend. She didn't return.

But the third day after her first return, she returned yet again.

And again after two days.

And again after three days.

And again after a day.

And again after five days.

And every time she returned, she had gifts for him, from her impossible 'adventures'. A vial of pulsating black liquid she had so boldy claimed to be the strongest organism alive, a necklace with a silver pendent of a birdnest hanging on it which contrasted her brooch which had a bird on it, a fedora supposedly from a 'hard-boiled' detective who fought crime in a city that had windmills that never stopped and more.

Each item was kept with fervor, except the necklace. That he wore on him daily, to remind himself that he had a true friend in this world. One that declared him to be 'her personal light house, her star amongst stars'.

Her name, was Elizabeth Dewitt.

The Songbird who would always leave the Lighthouse, but it would always return no matter what.


	2. The Forest

He was nervous. The warm and humid air didn't help him either, as his clothes were sticking to his body at different parts due to sweat. He took off his jacket and folded it around his left arm.

Why did she bring him here?

It was relatively quiet from the city life he was used to. No noise other than the wild life around him and his beathing existed. The crickets' chirping were... calming.

"How do you like it here?" Her voice rang out from behind him, a disruption of the forest's sounds, and made him jump.

"BWAH!"

Her laughter echoed in the forest.

"I told you to stop doing that." He said with his hand over his heart, trying to calm his racing heart.

She giggled once more. "Sorry." Her tone was unapologetic, and mischievious.

A few moments later, her face turned serious.

"So how do you like it here?" She asked once more.

He looked around, taking in the sights, sounds, smell-no wait that's poop.

But he felt at peace with himself here.

"I like it." He decided.

She smiled in approval, and took his hand into her's, before dragging him off, leading him somewhere.

Where, he did not know. But it didn't matter.

Not when she has that smile on her face.

"You helped me when I was at my worst, and while you aren't at that point..."

He thought he heard her mumble, but he couldn't make out her voice over the sounds of fallen branches and dried leaves snapping and crunching at their feet.

She brought him over to a tunnel. One that was overrunned by moss, and in obvious disrepair. The train tracks were rusted through, and the brick walls were layered in vegetation. She brought him to the edge.

"Remember when we first met?" She asked, suddenly shy.

How could he forget?

"Heh, you were confused about where to go, and you were holding your map upside down." The memory came rushing back. It was only a few months ago, but he could recall it with such clarity it seemed like yesterday. He smiled fondly in the memory, hand reaching up to caress the pendent he wore daily, without fail. "And you just so happened to ask me for directions, and I tried to read your map but I didn't see that it was upside down." He laughed now.

"Yeah, we were complete idiots then." She sat down by the tunnel, and her feet were hanging over the edge. He followed suit, still smiling at that memory.

"When we didn't know how similar we were..." He heard her, and his smile turned bittersweet.

"Yeah, we both endured our pain and loneliness by ourselves." Her words were but a mere whisper, but he heard her clearly.

She rested her head on his right shoulder, and he instinctively wrapped his right hand over her shoulders.

"I won't leave."

"I know you won't."

She looked up at him, and suddenly nothing else mattered to him.

"You're my lighthouse."

Three simple words.

He was someone who would carry your burdens for you. She was someone who carried all her burdens with her.

Two incredibly complicated people.

Silence between the two.

One simple, but everlasting moment.

The Songbird that would never leave it's Lighthouse.


	3. Muses of the Songbird

She knew that she felt something when she knew him, like, actually knew him and got to talk to him.

Was it happiness, of finding someone who would listen to her?

Was it joy, of having a moment to rest her soul with another kindred soul?

Or was it... love?

She paused for a moment.

He doesn't look all that handsome or breath taking, she mused as she took the cup of warm coffee into her palms. Not like the books she had read. He didn't have any ludicrious hair styles or colour, nor were his eyes chromatic. Just plain black.

So, was it how he treated her? A nice smile whenever he'd so much see her looking at him, a strong bond between him and her due to their intimate conversations they had, and a roof over her head whenever she'd come back from whatever adventure she craved.

She didn't know why he let her come and go so easily, but she felt at ease with him even though they had only met a few months ago. Seven? Or maybe nine? She wasn't sure. But after a few days with him, she knew she was comfortable around him.

She brought the cup up to her lips.

But why could she be comfortable around him? Why did she feel inclined to bring him a souvenir whenever she left?

Why?

And why did he let her stay at his place? Why didn't he advance onto her, like what happens in the news?

"You okay 'liz?"

His hand on her shoulder snapped her out of her thoughts.

He was standing next to her, worry evident in his onyx black eyes as he looked at her.

She felt her pulse speed up slightly from the contact, and suddenly had a feeling that her voice would falter if she spoke.

She nodded, and took a sip of coffee.

He stood there for a few more moments, looking at her. "If you say so." He lifted his hand off before going to the fridge.

She wanted to tell him how she felt.

This zoomed past her mind.

Her face was definitely burning up now. A small part of her took note sarcastically that even though she had essentially killed her own father and seen the atrocities of war, she was a lovesick schoolgirl in front of him.

She took in his back as he bent over to grab something in the fridge. His now short crew cut used to be at shoulder length, his shirt was wrinkly and yellowed, and he looked generally untidy.

But she caught herself imagining for a split second, her arms wrapping around that back, his hot breath against the nape of her shoulder as sweet nothings were being whispered into her ear and his hands explored-

She stood up abruptly, and went to her room, ensuring to lock the door before opening a Tear and squealing inside of it.

She needed to tell him soon or she'll go crazy.

* * *

"Huh, she didn't touch her breakfast today. Is she okay?" He muttered as he looked at the closed door of Elizabeth's room, before looking at the untouched plate on the counter.

She usually finishes her breakfast and then finishes her coffee, he muttered internally, but she only drank half a cup of coffee and didn't even eat.

Something's definitely wrong, he concluded, but since she hasn't really mentioned anything of the sort recently, he couldn't really do anything without intruding into her personal life.

He looked at the bag of chicken in his hands.

Guess I'll prepare slightly more for her later. She'll need the extra energy.


	4. Spring

In the dark room, he laid on his bed, thinking about the past few months with Elizabeth Dewitt.

She had qualities he didn't have. She was brave, adventurous, easily excited and had nigh inexhaustible energy.

She was also similar to him. She knew loneliness and despair.

He snorted.

It's all subjective really, he thought, he could perceive loneliness differently from her, and he might not have even been in despair before.

He rolled his eyes as he switched sides.

He was rambling mentally again.

But, he felt oddly compelled to help her.

When he first met her, he was taking a part time job as a guide for tourists in town. She looked lost, and was holding her map while her gaze was wandering.

During their second meeting, they met on a trail he frequently jogged on. She was looking for someone with a lost boy, and he stopped his jog to help them get out of the forest as they were lost.

Then later on, she slowly became someone he saw often, and when she first told him that she had no place to stay at night, he offered her his spare room in his tight apartment without hesistation. They clicked rather well, and after hearing about her father and past, he was even more compelled to help her.

He raised his left hand, and looked at it under the dim lighting from the windows.

She held onto this hand that day when she showed him the tunnel.

He smiled.

'Always your Lighthouse, eh?'

He rested his hand on his chest.

'Then, you'll always be my Songbird.'

" 'liz, you okay there?" Her face was red, and her eyes were shut tightly.

She groaned.

Concerned, he touched her forehead with the back of his hand, and frowned when he felt her warm skin.

"You need to see a doctor now."

She shook her head, and just pointed at the white plastic bag on the coffee table in front of the sofa she was lying on.

Oh.

He took it, and found a bottle of pills. He read the prescription on it, and fished out two pills and placed them on a tissue. Rushing to the kitchen, he poured a glass of water and hurried back to the sofa.

Helping her sit up, he held out the medication for her to take, and she swallowed them with a mouthful of water.

He urged her to drink a little more, and she could only comply before she laid back onto her back.

"Why do you always fall sick in spring?" He muttered as he brought the cup back to the kitchen, out of earshot.

When he returned to her, she was fast asleep. Carefully using an in ear thermometer, he measured her temperature and his frown grew bigger.

"39 degrees..." He shook his head, before looking at the sleeping form of his sick friend. That was worse than before.

He knew that she would be fine after a few days, but when he saw the sheen of sweat on her forehead and her laboured breathing, he couldn't leave her to suffer alone.

He needed to help her.

Making a quick phone call to his supervisor, he explained his situation to him.

"I'm sorry Jeff, I won't be able to make it for at least two days. Think you guys can handle the festival without me?

...

Yeah, that won't be a problem. Help me inform Thomas as well, he might be able to send some people to help prep the stage and backstage.

...

She's not my... you know what I'm just going to hang up now.

...

Really? I... I don't know what to say...

...

Thank you, Jeff."

He hung up, before sighing in relief.

Elizabeth's groaning made him rush to the toilet to grab a towel and a basin of water, before he returned to her side.

Soaking and wringing the towel, he folded it and placed it over her forehead.

It seemed to work slightly, as her grimace melted away.

The clock chimed 10, and he sighed.

Today was going to be a long day, he was certain.

"Ah."

She struggled to open her mouth, and he poured the warm noodle soup with care into her mouth. She swallowed it, and her droopy eyes seemed to apologise for the soup that was flowing down from her lips and onto the sofa.

"It's ok, I can clean it up later." He scooped another spoon of soup noodles, and blew on it several times before deeming it cool enough.

"Ah."

She was tired, and he knew that. She couldn't lift her arm without panting like crazy. But she couldn't lay on the sofa over night too.

So, he devised a plan.

She was fast sleep, and the meds were just starting to kick in as her temperature was falling.

He brought the bottle of pills, a seperate towel, a basin and a cup of water into her room on her dresser beside her bed, before going back out to the sofa.

He breathed, mentally preparing himself, before placing her arms around his neck, and slid his hands under her neck and knees, before lifting her up slowly.

She was heavy, not that he would admit it out loud, and he was struggling to carry her without waking her up, but he somehow managed to do so and laid her onto her bed.

As he laid her down, her arms around his neck tightened, and he couldn't make her let go.

"Mmm..." She pulled onto him even more now.

Her arms are as strong as steel, he noted as he tried to get them off from his neck.

When his right hand tried to pry her hands, her left hand clasped onto his hand, and the iron lock was opened. He was finally free from the back aching position.

He turned to the door, but felt her grip tightened. He turned back, only to see her staring at him.

"Stay, please?" She almost pleaded, her eyes begging for him to stay.

He smiled softly, and pulled out the chair from under the dresser.

"Alright." He patted her hand. She smiled once more, before falling asleep with the smile still on her face.

He spent the entire night ensuring that the towel was not too warm nor too damp, she got her dosage of meds and that she would get a sip of water whenever she woke, and he was spent.

She slept past dinner, and he couldn't leave her alone, leaving him without dinner too.

He thanked his lucky stars he had saved some soup noodles. Her breakfast would be settled quickly.

His stomach growled, and he pushed his hunger back.

She was more important, after all.

"Are you feeling better now?" His voice had concern lathered in it.

She weakly nodded, and thanked him softly as he handed her the cup of water. She took a gulp from it. He took it from her and placed it gently on the dresser next to her.

He touched her forehead again, and she instantly felt weaker than before.

His frown and pursed lips were a sharp contrast from the usual caring looks and smiles he gave.

"I'll go and prepare some porridge for lunch, you stay here and rest, ok?"

She nodded, and he left the room.

She let out a sigh of relief, before opening a Tear and retriving a glass bottle in the shape of a red cross with a caecadus on it. She somehow managed to pop out the cap, and downed it's contents. Instantly, she felt better.

Vigors are very potent.

She returned the bottle and closed the tear.

He had a part time job he was supposed to do, but she caused him to take some time off.

She gazed out the window, and saw the vast amounts of flowers growing on the trees outside.

She could have been outside with him then, but she can't even take care of herself. He could have been working, but he had to take care of her.

At the thought of that, a warm, fuzzy feeling erupted in her chest, and she had to resist the urge to squirm.

She definitely needed to tell him now.

Her eyes wandered back to the window.

And she knew how.

"Those pills really have a kick to them." She heard him muttering as he ladled porridge into her bowl.

She just smiled and thanked him before eating her meal.

He sat opposite her, and she could see the bags under the concerned eyes. Her knees felt weak when he once again reached out and touched her forehead.

"I'n fine." Her protest was futile as he rolled his eyes.

"Fine or not, you're not going anywhere today until we're sure you are completely fine."

She pouted, before going back to her lunch.

She looked at his sprawled form on his bed, obviously exhausted from the day.

She felt guilty. She could have cured herself earlier, and he wouldn't have had to suffer.

She stepped into his room.

She didn't really have a chance to enter his room before, but she was glad she took the chance then.

His room was surprisingly clean, unlike how his clothing and usual demeanour would suggest a messy personality.

His windows were closed, and there were no curtains.

But what caught her attention were the flowers on his desk.

They were tulips, yellow and red.

Her face blushed from the implications of the colours, before forcing the blush down. He could have gotten them for someone else, or he didn't know what they represent.

Her heart twisted slightly at the former.

She tip toed her way to the side of his bed, and she watched as his chest rose and fell in rhythm.

She found herself drawn to his lips, and her fingers were tracing her own.

Her blush came back tenfold. She hesistated, before doing what she wanted.

She bent over, and pressed her lips slightly against his.

She pulled back instantly, and ran back to her room with her face burning up.

She couldn't open a Tear in time, so she just pressed her face against a pillow and squealed.

" 'liz, you just recovered, stop running about." His voice was coarse, and he swallowed hard.

She didn't seem to notice yet, as she just stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're just not fit enough." She teased him.

He scoffed, before taking a sip of water.

"Yeah sure." He rolled his eyes.

She stuch out her tongue once more, before wandering into the field of flowers

Tulips, if he remembered coreectly.

He managed to snag some from the preperation of the stage for the festival, but it looks like he didn't need to, for the entire field had red, yellow and orange tulips covering the ground.

He pulled out a red one, and held it discreetly behind his forearm as he walked to her.

She was standing still, and gazing at the clouds above her.

When he approached her, she didn't seem to notice him.

He wanted to walk up to her, and hug her. Why, he didn't know.

He halted midstep.

Could he be...?

He looked at her.

...

Yeah, he definitely was.

He was right to pick a red tulip.

She startled slightly when his arms wrapped around her torso, but she seemed to settle in almost instantly. She looked up at him, and her lips parted to question him, but his lips made her stop when they were pressed lightly against the side of her forehead.

Her eyes widened when she saw the red tulip in his hands. He smiled as her eyes started to tear up.

"You idiot..." She turned, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his.

"You took your time." She muttered.

She could feel his lips stretching into a small smile.

"Sorry."

Turns out, she didn't need to tell him.

Their arms tightened around each other, in the field of tulips blooming in spring.


	5. Mystery

"Haah, haah, haah..."

Gosh, I haven't done this in days. My legs are killing me. The cooling morning air is helping a little, but not enough as my lungs are still on fire.

Ah, my headphones slipped off my head. But I can still hear the music while it's hanging on my neck, so it's not so bad.

I adjusted it a little so I could hear the music better. My steps were following the beat of the music.

Ah, I see the bench.

Whooooo, it took me an extra two minutes to get here today. I need to maintain my daily routines.

Damn you sudden morning shifts at work! Making me miss out on a relaxing jog and breakfast...

The route I usually take when going on my morning jog is a forest trail leading towards the hill near the city, and not many people come here, especially not at this time. Although, tourists would frequent this area around early noon to sightsee and have picnics and what not.

Huh, there's someone else here.

I glanced at my watch.

It's eight thirty in the morning. Who would be here at this time?

The figure looks feminine from this distance, and; wait, is that a kid?

I slowed to a walk to catch ny breath as the two started to speed up in their pace towards me.

Guess they're lost then. No one would be here at eight thirty in the morning otherwise. That or some weird coincidence.

My job as a walking map for tourists prevails yet again.

I smiled slightly at my inside joke. Ohoh, double pun.

"Hey, are the two of you lost?" I called out when I was sure they could hear me.

The kid (a blonde boy wearing a Pokemon shirt and a Digimon hat) was clutching to the lady next to him (a raven haired beauty if I had to admit it at gun point wearing a sky blue dress). They didn't seem to be related, unless their hair colours were common in their family.

"Yes!" The lady sounded relieved. "Do you know the way back to town?"

I nodded, and gave them instructions to the shortest route. They thanked me, and started walking.

I helped two people today, and even though it's basically what I do part time now I could feel my chest swelling. Not literally though.

Although, I can't help but feel that I saw that lady before...

* * *

Ah, that day.

He remembered this bench. He used it as a landmark (and a place to rest) when he first started jogging.

He broke the left arm of the bench because he had sat on it. Ah, the embarresment he faced when he told people about it.

He chuckled as he traced his fingers over the new arm. The town's management had been quick to fix it, and it only took them two days. He used to joke with his collegues that they had used magic to fix it, but they just gave him blank stares.

The trees were quiet, and he could feel himself getting lost in his memories just by standing there.

"Stop zoning out!"

A hand slapped his arm, jerking him out of his thoughts.

Blue eyes were squinted at him.

"What were you thinking about?"

His small smile widened slightly.

"Just thinking about that day, you know, the day when we met here? That kid was weird, wasn't he?"

Elizabeth tilted her head to the side, and her eyes squinted further.

She yelped when he lightly pinched her nose, and swatted his hand away.

She pouted slightly, before nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, no one knew him, and when I turned my back on him for a moment, he was just gone."

Her eyes grew distant.

"I just hope he's ok."

His smile faltered.

"He probably is. Maybe he saw his parents and just ran off or something."

She mulled over his words, before shrugging.

"Maybe. I just can't help but feel sorry for him. He just wanted to explore the forest, but he got lost. Well, nothing we can do now."

He nodded, and they continued down the trail, hands entwined together.

In the corner of his eye, he spotted a figure wearing a shirt of a certain yellow mouse.

He stopped immediately to look, which caused his partner to jerk his hand.

"What's wrong? What's over there?" She asked, as she looked past the blonde boy in the Pokemon shirt and Digimon hat.

He was holding a sign.

'Thank You Big Sis!'

His memory clicked.

His limbs started to feel cold.

"Over there, you see that tree with the scorch marks?" He pointed at the tree where the boy stood next to. She followed his finger, and found said tree. "Thirty years ago, a family was sitting there having a picnic. They were murdered, and rumor is that only the son survived the attack, and that he perished somewhere away from that spot. The murderer burned the bodies with gasoline right there, and urban legends say that the boy's spirit is still here, still wandering to find a way home."

She shivered at his words, and wrapped her arm around his.

"I hope he does find a way back." He heard her muttering.

 **Oh, he already has.**


	6. Final Destination

He remembered going to sleep in his bed, with her, but he awoke in a dark void.

'Booker!'

His head burned like the victims of the Devil's Kiss.

'Do not make promises you can't keep.'

He was confused, like the people who get dragged away by the Undertow of the sea.

'Do you get used to it? The killing?'

He heard Elizabeth, and even though he wanted to scream out her name, to call out to her, to grab blindly around to even touch her, his body was not in his Possession.

'NO! STOP THAT!'

Her voice escalated into desperation, and so did his efforts to Charge to her side, to help her, to comfort her.

"She could never control them as much as she wanted."

A man's voice Shocked him out of his attempts to flay his arms.

"Even if she could, she wanted this to happen."

He wanted to speak, and his efforts to Jockey his voice worked.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"Huh, his thoughts are more coherent than most if those are his first questions. It seems that we finally have a mark on Tails, brother."

A woman's voice that had an accent reminiscent of Elizabeth's. He had more questions now, but his voice was once again lost. He could feel his own desperation to find Elizabeth grow, and he feared that he would Murder someone to get some answers.

"This one is different from the ones that came."

"The ones that will come."

"The ones that are coming."

But these two were annoying, and their talk reminded him Of Crows.

"He grows wary of this conversation, sister. Let us grant him what he needs, before he snaps from his own thoughts."

His head hurt even worse now. Before, it had been a burning sensation. And now, it felt as though a Bronco was Bucking him in his cranium.

He could neither scream, cry nor move, and had to endure the torture of his mind until he managed to glimpse through something.

'I can't be with him. He shouldn't have to know of my past. But I still want him to know. But...'

His beloved's voice echoed in his head, and the words made him freeze.

'I'm a monster. He doesn't deserve someone like me. I'm just going to hurt him if I stay with him.'

No, she wouldn't... she couldn't... please, don't…

'I need to leave him.'

NO! SHE WASN'T HURTING HIM, SHE WAS HIS LIGHT! PLEASE DON'T GO!

'I'm sorry, I am so, really, sorry.'

Don't leave him alone. It was all he asked for.

He begged for the voices to stop, for them to stop tormenting him as her words repeated, and repeated, and repeated.

* * *

She found herself in darkness.

She called this place The Ocean, for all the Lighthouses would be here.

But now, it was just a black void. She was standing on nothing, yet she was still standing.

A sob reached her ears.

She traced it back to it's source.

She immediately wished she hadn't.

To her left, laid the one she had devoted herself to, the one who made her disregard her oath to never settle down, to never be caged again.

And he was crying.

Streams of tears flowed from his eyes, and tracks of blood were dried on his nose and mouth. His lips were torn, as though his mouth was pryed open and forced apart.

His eyes were rolled back, and the only sound in the dark world was his sobbing and his words.

'don't leave me alone, please, don't leave me alone.'

His words pierced through her chest. She always wanted to leave, to adventure, but every time she did, he was always left behind.

She couldn't control herself any longer.

She held her lover in her arms, and wept with him.

"I won't leave you again. I swear." She whispered into his ear, trying to control her uncontrollable sobs and tears.

" 'liz...?" His throat was sore, and he could barely speak.

"I'm sorry I left you behind, I'm sorry I didn't think about how you felt." She couldn't take it anymore, and she cracked.

Her tears were flowing freely, and her arms tightened around him.

"It's... not your... fault... 'liz." His raspy voice made her doubt his words. It was always her fault! She was the one with the flaws in their relationship, not him.

"HOW? After all that you've helped me, after all that you've done for me..." She choked on her words

.

His cracked, torn lips managed to move, and he pursed them against her forehead.

"I... saw things... I... saw what had... happened... to you." He gasped for air, and his arms wrapped themselves shakily around her.

"You... hate your... self. For not... doing...enough... for people. For... killing." She started shaking in his weak embrace. "You hate... being caged up."

"But... you had... to." He wheezed, and she could feel his warm blood drip.

"I... don't hate... you... You are... my song... bird after all." His arms fell to his side, and she could do naught when he grew limp.

She couldn't take it.

She screamed. In despair and in hate. In despair, that she couldn't do anything to save him, and in hate, that the world was cruel.

"She's very melodramatic, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. If she bothered to check, she would find that he's still breathing."

Ignoring the people who said that, she scrambled to find a pulse, to feel his breath, and she found it.

She took a breath to compose herself.

"Why is he in that state, Lutece?" She spat the name of the person that made her life hell.

"He has a role to play in your tragedy."

"A vital one, which requires that he knows about you."

"So we informed him."

"In the quickest way possible."

Her glare grew tenfold for every line of word spoken by the two in front of her.

"BY TORTURING HIM?" Her voice was raised involuntarily.

"Well, the others weren't as lucky."

Others...?

Oh, god.

Her hands covered her mouth in terror.

"You mean..."

"Yes."

"He's the first to have survived."

"But certainly not the last."

"Unless he's the only one."

"Why are you doing this?" Her voice was low, and she started shaking again.

Not in shock. This time, in anger.

"There is a storm coming. One that the both of you are requirements to get through."

"Columbia isn't, wasn't and shan't be, the last of it's kind."

"Rapture is where you should, should have, or should not, end. He is a deciding factor to this."

She blinked, and she was gone from The Ocean, now back at home, where the moon's light shone into from the window.

Rapture? The word had no meaning to her.

She looked down at her Lighthouse. He was fine now, and was sleeping soundly. Her trembling fingers rose to touch his lips, and she crumpled in relief when she found them without injury. The blood that flowed from his lips were something that terrified her.

She hugged him tightly. He wasn't going to be harmed. She will make sure of that.

* * *

She was avoiding him. Why, he didn't know.

But the memories of her in that floating city…

His nose bled.

They were enlightening to who she is, and why she chose this world in particular.

She wanted to find a world where she could take a breather from her adventures to other worlds. One where she could be an ordinary person, where she could come and go as she pleased without anyone stopping her, where she could relax.

And then, she met him.

She was tired after an adventure, and couldn't read a map properly without her vision swimming around. He was a guide who helped tourists around. That was their first meeting a year ago in spring, at the train station with her barely able to stand on her two feet. He helped her to get around the city not only because it was his job, but because he felt a connection with her. And another reason, one he couldn't forget. How could he? After all, who didn't know how to read a map?

He knew her history, he could read her like an open book, but now, he could only guess why she was avoiding him.

He had to get some answers.

But she was growing distant, and dodged any questions he had.

She didn't want him to ask anything related to her past, he assumed.

So, he stopped trying to ask her, and tried to continue on with life, continue being there for her, and continue to worry for her, wondering if she was alright.

She was grateful for that, but it continued to eat away at him on the inside. They had been together for a year now, and all the while she was suffering on the inside. He wanted to help her, but she didn't want him to ask. So, he stopped asking all together, for he was worried that anything he asked would bring up bad memories.

But he still cared for her.

* * *

"What's that?"

The opened letter in Elizabeth's hands shook.

" 'liz, what's that?" He asked.

"It's…" She took a breath to calm herself down.

"It's from the hospital."

He froze.

No, this wasn't happening. He told them not to send a letter. He specifically told the doctor that.

"You have cancer?"

He's going to kill Dr. Pym.

"Well, not me, just my-"

"YOUR BRAIN, LUNGS AND LIVER?"

Shit, they even included those in the letter? Pym's going to die in the most painful way possible.

She staggered towards him, eyes watering.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

He couldn't stop his bitter laugh.

"And make you worry? Make you change yourself, what you want to do with your time, for me?"

She knew what he was talking about.

He wanted her to live on with her life without worrying for him, without devoting herself for him. Without locking herself in a cage again.

"When did this happen?"

"Doctors said about eight months ago, but even they're not sure."

"Do you at least know how?"

"Most likely from the Tears." He muttered as he looked down, earlier bravado gone.

Her arms wrapped around him, and her tears moistened his shirt. He laid his head on hers.

"I'm so sorry."

His vision blurred.

"It's not your-"

Her shriek was almost as loud as his body dropping onto the floor with a thud.

* * *

"We're sorry, Ms Dewitt. We did all we could."

"It's" she choked back a sob. "It's alright, you did your best."

The doctor nodded, and clasped her shoulder.

"You need to stay strong, for him."

She didn't respond, and only shrugged off his hand and walked into the room.

Her eyes' glowered at the two standing next to him.

"You did this to him." She didn't accuse them. She stated a fact.

"Yes." They agreed.

"Why?"

"You do not know now,"

"But you'll know why when you should."

Their cryptic answer didn't surprise her, but her heart was still shattered.

"But we will share this with you,"

"When you're buried at sea,"

"He'll be there. Oh, and a word from him,"

Rosalind passed her a piece of paper.

Her blue eyes widened, and she didn't even notice that the 'twins' were gone.

' Don't hate someone just because they share the same name, because they share a common experience. Don't be what you hate. And remember, I'll be waiting for you, 'liz, and I love you. '

She crumpled to the ground, next to his still body.

* * *

He remembered.

Booker… no.

Comstock remembered.

Remembered pulling me through the tear despite me telling him not to, despite me trying so hard to tell him not to, despite Booker pulling me back.

I could not feel anything, only my rage, my sorrow and my grief.

Rage at Comstock, for kidnapping me and subjecting me to all that he did.

Sorrow, for not being able to do anything about it, to do anything for him.

Grief, for causing him such pain, and for not seeing it.

His letter was still with me, in my pocket. Despite all that I have gone through, it never left my side, and nothing could do anything to it.

He would never leave my side.

She stilled her shaking fists.

The tear of the Big Daddy was behind him.

It could be so easy, to take revenge for all that her 'father' did.

His last letter wrinkled slightly in her pocket.

No…

He would not have let her do this.

She entered a different Tear, and Comstock's apologies rang out in her head.

Yes, those would have to do.

If not for him, Comstock would have died. Painfully.

He better be waiting for her, because if he isn't, she'll kill him instead.

* * *

'I see all the doors, and what's behind of them.

And incredibly, behind one of those, I see him.

He's smiling, but he knows it's not yet time for us to be together.

I have to die to meet him again.

To finally be with him.

And, Atlas would die after all this is over.

A win-win situation.

'Sally, I guess this is goodbye.

Don't cause any trouble when I'm not around, ok?'

Her heart beats one last time.

Her vision grows dark.

'I'll finally see you again, my Light house.'

She sees again.

A harbour, one that he said he wanted to stay close to, in front of a lighthouse.

She sees them.

Sally, all grown up and wearing a perfectly white dress, but she still holds her headless doll.

Him, wearing his typical shirt and jeans.

Her eyes tear up, as she walks to him, smiling. They embrace, and his scent was just as she remembered.

"Did you receive my letter?"

It was still with her, even after death. She nodded, her face still pressed against his chest.

"So you didn't do anything you would have regretted then."

She nodded again.

It has been long.

Too long.

She shook.

"I missed you." She sobbed.

"And I you." He ran his fingers through her hair, his way of comforting her.

"You look different." He was trying to distract her from her thoughts. Just like back then.

She couldn't help herself from giggling.

"And you look the same."

She could feel his shoulders shrugging.

"I died, so I guess I went to heaven."

"Why heaven?" He was never one to believe in religion, so what brought that change in him?

"Because you're an angel. So where else would I be?"

She missed his jokes, his jabs and his humour.

She missed him.

"Don't leave me again."

"I'll never leave you again, my Songbird."

He meant that. He would always be with her and would never abandon her. Her heart tightened slightly.

It was she who abandoned him.

Her arms tightened around his neck, as she brought herself up.

"And I'll never leave you, my Lighthouse."

Their lips locked, and at that very moment, Elizabeth didn't regret a single thing she did do. Would have done. Will do.

For none of them would be able to compare to, be able to tarnish that singular moment in her lives.


End file.
